Buckeyes might miss Metrodome

Sunday

"When it gets packed, it's loud," said the Ohio State linebacker, a Minnesota native. "If you've ever been there for a Vikings game, it's crazy loud."

For Vikings games? Ouch. Truth hurts for University of Minnesota fans.

Last night was Ohio State's final game in the downtown bubble. Minnesota has broken ground for TCF Bank Stadium, an on-campus venue set to open for the 2009 season.

The move may be bad for the Buckeyes, who were 10-0 in the Metrodome before last night.

But it's great for the Minnesota program, which has suffered with low attendance in its sterile environment since moving there in 1982.

Recently departed coach Glen Mason led the Gophers to five winning seasons in the past eight years, averaging seven wins a season in that span. Still, attendance averaged only 46,000, or about 72 percent of the dome's capacity of 64,000.

What that means for Ohio State is a much less intimidating environment than in other night games they've played on the road. Penn State in 2005 was a prime example, with more than 100,000 screaming fans, mostly dressed in white. Or Texas last season, or Iowa.

All of those featured outdoor, on-campus stadiums.

Running back Maurice Wells was a freshman on the 2005 OSU squad that won in the Metrodome, 45-31.

"It wasn't packed out, they didn't have a lot of people there like Penn State, where they did the whiteout where the student section was going crazy," Wells said. "It's definitely a different atmosphere at Penn State. But Minnesota, I'm sure their fans are going to get after it, too. They're trying to come back and have a great season."

Laurinaitis said it's hard to get too excited about playing in the Metrodome compared with places like Penn State and Iowa, where the OSU team buses have to crawl through crowds of tailgaters to the stadium.

"The Metrodome doesn't have that, because it's down in the city," Laurinaitis said. "And the only traffic you're experiencing is because of cars, not because of fans that won't get out of the way and have had a little too much to drink or something."

Because it's a dome, the place can get loud in a hurry. But that also could work in OSU's favor. Buckeyes fans travel well. An estimated 6,000 to 8,000 were on hand two weeks ago at Washington.

"If their fans decide to make it loud, it's going to be a distinct home-field advantage," OSU assistant coach Dick Tressel said. "The thing is . . . if we have 10,000 (fans), it only takes 10,000 to make that place rock for us, too. So I think there may be a little bit of bounce back and forth of each group being able to churn that place up a little bit."

There is no question, though, that moving back on campus will churn up the Gophers' program.

OSU coach Jim Tressel talked about the excitement that builds on a campus just from students walking past the stadium all week, anticipating the next home game.

"I think the energy that a stadium on campus creates is significant," Jim Tressel said.

Current Minnesota coach Tim Brewster said he has been pleased with the crowds so far. The Gophers have averaged 47,430 fans in three home games.

"We had a tremendous student crowd the other night (against Purdue); the students are getting behind us," Brewster said. "We're trying to make the Metrodome into a home-field advantage for us until Sept. 12, 2009, when we move into TCF Bank Stadium and we'll bring the magic back to campus."

Sept. 12, 2009. Clearly, he has that date memorized.

"There's no question," he said. "We know exactly when it is."

Dispatch reporter Bob Baptist contributed to this story.

kgordon@dispatch.com

"The thing is . . . if we have 10,000 (fans), it only takes 10,000 to make that place rock for us, too. So I think there may be a little bit of bounce back and forth of each group being able to churn that place up a little bit."

Dick Tressel on playing in the Metrodome Late game Because of the late start for the Ohio State-Minnesota game last night, some editions of today's Dispatch will not contain a complete game report. Those whose papers do not have a game report can go to Dispatch.com/OSU for the result and see Monday's Dispatch for a complete game summary.

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